Ben Affleck is a shallow millionaire ad executive dumped by his girlfriend just before Christmas. So he goes on a quest to revisit his past which means his childhood home and offers to pay the current owners $250,000 so they can pretend to be his family for Christmas.James Gandolfini is the reluctant father who is also having marital problems with his wife Catherine O'Hara. There is also a little brother and they even rope in a part time actor to play grandpa. Complications ensue when Affleck falls for Christina Applegate, the daughter who later turns up for Christmas with her family and then his ex turns up with her parents which means every one has to keep up the pretence for longer.It is a weird off beat premise, very silly but in essence the film is a farce but the actors take it all too seriously.

A pretty bad movie all in. The only thing that makes this at all watchable is the fact that it is a Christmas movie. Ben Affleck is just terrible -painful at times to watch, the rest of the cast (Gandolfini, Applegate, O'Hara) kind of makes up for him, and keeps things moving along but keep Affleck away from the comedy in the future. The story itself is also lame (a lonely successful man pays the owners of his childhood home to let him spend Christmas with them). Despite all the mediocre I did get a couple of big laughs, and I suppose the whole being with family and money can't buy happiness is in keeping with the season too. 12.13

Being something of a big Christmas movie fan, I came to this with some trepidation after reading other reviews - but decided to give it a go with no prejudices and you know what, it's fun - it does what it is supposed to in a Christmas film, builds up tension and drama but then gives you a happy ending - perfect, and the cast are top notch.Forget what you read about all the troubles with scripting etc etc and timing of release of the movie, the fact is that it is a very enjoyable Christmas movie - yes, it may be a little "join the dots/movie by numbers" but come on...it's Christmas, it isn't supposed to be or trying to be Citizen Kane for goodness sake!

Drew Latham is leading an empty, shallow life with only wealth on his side. Facing another lonely Christmas, Drew wants to revisit his old childhood home and possibly relive some old holiday memories. But when he arrives, he finds that the house in which he was raised is no longer the home in which he grew up. Inhabited by another family, Drew offers a nice financial reward that has the family ringing...First thing to know is, that it's nowhere near as bad as you've heard it is. It's illy and absurd, but hen aren't all Christmas movies.Your ability to like this, is how much you tolerate Affleck. This isn't Argo Affleck, its Gigli Affleck, and he really grates when he gets to his family house.When he reaches the front door, it's as if someone from the crew has pumped him full of glucose, because he starts bouncing off the walls for the next hour.Other than that, the rest of the cast are fine, it's not a particularly festive movie, but it rings a little message, and doesn't outstay it's welcome.a late night Christmas treat.